Well, it doesn’t feel like late May on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The easterly wind has been relentless, temperatures have been unseasonably cool, and we seem to have found some of that liquid precipitation that we have been missing for so long. However, if you try to find the silver lining around the clouds of a coastal low pressure, the bugs haven’t been bad and due to fairly low water temperatures we get an extra opportunity to enjoy springtime tactics in awesome home waters.
The central Chesapeake has still been the most consistent bite on the ESVA. Anglers have found shelter in the leeward waters of the Pocomoke and Tangier sounds. Chunks of soft crab have rung the dinner bell for hungry reds, specs, and rock. Paddle tails and mirrolures have also tempted some of these striped and spotted treasures of the Chesapeake. However, with the water conditions less than favorable, meat on the hook has produced the most action. These fish have been setting up camp around grass flats and stump fields during a running tide. Around deeper structure some nice blues have been lured into the box by casting rap-10’s. Some of these toothy tusslers have measured out to the mid twenty inch mark which was only dwarfed by the smile on the other side of the line.
The seaside has been quiet as water turbidity was a little on the murky side. During brief periods of clean water flatfish have taken silversides or minnows coupled with gulp swimming mullet or shrimp. Most fish have been targeted in shallow depths during whichever tide cycle that offers the best visibility. Remember, the old fishermen’s guide: If you can’t see your prop then you can’t catch flounder….. and NO-tilting your lower unit up out of the water will not improve your chances. All jokes aside, clean water is definitely the most important factor to seaside success!
Between the puffs of wind the lower shore has had some consistency in regards to red drum fishing around the barrier islands as well as the CBBT. There has also been a few cobia boated in the mouth of the bay. Cut bunker on fish finder rigs are all that is needed to tangle with the man (or woman) in a brown suit. Just don’t forget to release all your preseason prizes until the the middle of June when they come across the gunwale and can stay for dinner. As the wind subsides, and seas calm, we will have the opportunity to get back on the bridge pilings for some magnum sheepshead action. Fishing a crab bait jammed up to the structure is a sure bet for these toothy trophies along with both black and red drum.
This past week I was privileged to take a couple of awesome fishermen from the Delaware area to see how we light tackle fish south of the border. Of course the weather forecast fell apart and we had a decision to make. Should we cancel and admit defeat, or press on and find a place to cast a line. It took a little bit to find a calm spot with some quality quarry. However, our perseverance paid off with some really nice linesiders along with a few beautiful specs. The good book of John tells us when one side of the boat seems a little lean, try the other side of the boat, or in this case , the channel or even the sound. The fact is, even when conditions are not favorable, keep casting and get out there and enjoy this wonderful place we call home!
The central Chesapeake has still been the most consistent bite on the ESVA. Anglers have found shelter in the leeward waters of the Pocomoke and Tangier sounds. Chunks of soft crab have rung the dinner bell for hungry reds, specs, and rock. Paddle tails and mirrolures have also tempted some of these striped and spotted treasures of the Chesapeake. However, with the water conditions less than favorable, meat on the hook has produced the most action. These fish have been setting up camp around grass flats and stump fields during a running tide. Around deeper structure some nice blues have been lured into the box by casting rap-10’s. Some of these toothy tusslers have measured out to the mid twenty inch mark which was only dwarfed by the smile on the other side of the line.
The seaside has been quiet as water turbidity was a little on the murky side. During brief periods of clean water flatfish have taken silversides or minnows coupled with gulp swimming mullet or shrimp. Most fish have been targeted in shallow depths during whichever tide cycle that offers the best visibility. Remember, the old fishermen’s guide: If you can’t see your prop then you can’t catch flounder….. and NO-tilting your lower unit up out of the water will not improve your chances. All jokes aside, clean water is definitely the most important factor to seaside success!
Between the puffs of wind the lower shore has had some consistency in regards to red drum fishing around the barrier islands as well as the CBBT. There has also been a few cobia boated in the mouth of the bay. Cut bunker on fish finder rigs are all that is needed to tangle with the man (or woman) in a brown suit. Just don’t forget to release all your preseason prizes until the the middle of June when they come across the gunwale and can stay for dinner. As the wind subsides, and seas calm, we will have the opportunity to get back on the bridge pilings for some magnum sheepshead action. Fishing a crab bait jammed up to the structure is a sure bet for these toothy trophies along with both black and red drum.
This past week I was privileged to take a couple of awesome fishermen from the Delaware area to see how we light tackle fish south of the border. Of course the weather forecast fell apart and we had a decision to make. Should we cancel and admit defeat, or press on and find a place to cast a line. It took a little bit to find a calm spot with some quality quarry. However, our perseverance paid off with some really nice linesiders along with a few beautiful specs. The good book of John tells us when one side of the boat seems a little lean, try the other side of the boat, or in this case , the channel or even the sound. The fact is, even when conditions are not favorable, keep casting and get out there and enjoy this wonderful place we call home!
Memorial Day on the Eastern Shore means many different things to many different Shoremen. Remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice should definitely be number one on the hearts and minds of Americans. Particularly those of us who appreciate and love the land (and waters) so many have laid down their lives to protect. This past week has provided the opportunity to take the good things God has blessed us with and let everything else blow away with a gust of northeast wind. However, the seas will calm and the water will clear and the Eastern Shore will continue to be the greatest place , with the best people in the world!
The Chesapeake has probably been the highlight of the week as anglers seek sheltered waters in search of skinny water stripes and spots. Bait fishermen are being productive with chunks of crab fish on the edges of grassy flats and stumpy structure. A mix of rock, specs, and reds have brought tight lines and big smiles to many fishermen who didn’t yield to the less than perfect conditions. We at Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, have been chunking paddle tails, Rap-10’s, and popping cork’s, to bend a rod while bringing good numbers of rock, and a few big specks a across the gunwale. This past week we had the awesome opportunity to catch ( and release) a couple of trophy trout on a popping cork and paddle tail. An experience like this strips stress off your mind about as fast as the big spec stripped the line of your reel. Needless to say there is still fun to be had on a leeward shore even on a windy day. We also ran into a nice class of bluefish that blistered drags while giving aerial acrobatic exhibitions. These scrappy speed demons were tight to wrecked structure and willingly took the same rap-10’s that we had been rock fishing with earlier.
The southern Eastern Shore is still producing some black drum and sheepshead on crab and clam baits fished near structures like the CBBT as well as other reefs in the southern Chesapeake. The shoals of the lower Shore have still contributed some big reds and bent rods, as anglers try to sneak out when the swells subside. The man in the brown suit made his entrance last week with some catch and release encounters. The middle of June is not far away and will offer the opportunity for the E. S. Cobia not only stretch a line but also a chance to come home for dinner. There has also been a good number of kingfish and spot tossed in the cooler of angler’s bottom fishing with bloodworms on top and bottom rigs on hard bottom from the mouth of the bay to the Tangier Sound.
The seaside has slowed a bit as it has been pledged by dirty water. Anglers that did find some water with acceptable turbidity found fish in fairly shallow depths during the start of the ebb tide. Silversides and gulp were the most productive baits displayed on chartreuse and pink teasers.
Fittingly with Memorial Day upon us, myself and 4 other guides had the privilege to take a veterans group called the Freedom Hunters out on the Chesapeake for a day of fun with fins. We got to meet new friends, have fellowship along with some fish, and most importantly one heck of a lunch on Tangier Island ( all donated by the families of the island) . I was able to witness folks that worked their whole life protecting our country, get to enjoy (some for the first time) the blessings that we sometimes take for granted. So find a calm quiet spot, spend some time with your friends and family, and most of all take a minute to remember those that have worked and sacrificed to give us this wonderful place we call home!
The Chesapeake has probably been the highlight of the week as anglers seek sheltered waters in search of skinny water stripes and spots. Bait fishermen are being productive with chunks of crab fish on the edges of grassy flats and stumpy structure. A mix of rock, specs, and reds have brought tight lines and big smiles to many fishermen who didn’t yield to the less than perfect conditions. We at Sea Hawk Sport Fishing, have been chunking paddle tails, Rap-10’s, and popping cork’s, to bend a rod while bringing good numbers of rock, and a few big specks a across the gunwale. This past week we had the awesome opportunity to catch ( and release) a couple of trophy trout on a popping cork and paddle tail. An experience like this strips stress off your mind about as fast as the big spec stripped the line of your reel. Needless to say there is still fun to be had on a leeward shore even on a windy day. We also ran into a nice class of bluefish that blistered drags while giving aerial acrobatic exhibitions. These scrappy speed demons were tight to wrecked structure and willingly took the same rap-10’s that we had been rock fishing with earlier.
The southern Eastern Shore is still producing some black drum and sheepshead on crab and clam baits fished near structures like the CBBT as well as other reefs in the southern Chesapeake. The shoals of the lower Shore have still contributed some big reds and bent rods, as anglers try to sneak out when the swells subside. The man in the brown suit made his entrance last week with some catch and release encounters. The middle of June is not far away and will offer the opportunity for the E. S. Cobia not only stretch a line but also a chance to come home for dinner. There has also been a good number of kingfish and spot tossed in the cooler of angler’s bottom fishing with bloodworms on top and bottom rigs on hard bottom from the mouth of the bay to the Tangier Sound.
The seaside has slowed a bit as it has been pledged by dirty water. Anglers that did find some water with acceptable turbidity found fish in fairly shallow depths during the start of the ebb tide. Silversides and gulp were the most productive baits displayed on chartreuse and pink teasers.
Fittingly with Memorial Day upon us, myself and 4 other guides had the privilege to take a veterans group called the Freedom Hunters out on the Chesapeake for a day of fun with fins. We got to meet new friends, have fellowship along with some fish, and most importantly one heck of a lunch on Tangier Island ( all donated by the families of the island) . I was able to witness folks that worked their whole life protecting our country, get to enjoy (some for the first time) the blessings that we sometimes take for granted. So find a calm quiet spot, spend some time with your friends and family, and most of all take a minute to remember those that have worked and sacrificed to give us this wonderful place we call home!
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While the Eastern Shore is typically a paradise that shames an ideal utopia, this week’s weather has been less than perfect. However, even when the conditions seem inhospitable and success seems unattainable, we on the shore are blessed with great fishing and good times that foster a pride that separates us from the rest of the world.
The middle Chesapeake has still been fairly consistent at yielding trophies adorn with stripes and spots. The shallows of the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds has produced some quality red, black, rock and spec fishing. Most fish have been lured to the gunwale by chunks of crab. However, casting soft plastics have also bent a rod or two. On Wednesday, I had the privilege to take Captain Tom Platt of “ Seven Saturdays” out of Chincoteague VA. We were fortunate to have a Tangier-slam ( red, rock ,and spec) as well as a great day of comradery that will be remembered for many tides to come . While numbers could have been better, we had bent rods on quality fish even in twenty plus mile an hour winds. We had the most activity on popping corks with 4” paddle tails worked among grassy flats in the 2-4 foot depth range. Elsewhere, anglers that braved the choppy conditions in deeper water encountered decent black drum action. Crab, again was the critical enticement needed on the hard oyster rocks of the Pocomoke.
The southern Chesapeake continues to support good black drum action both around the structure of the CBBT as well as the shoals off Kiptopeke. Clams and crabs on fish finder rigs have produced brawling battles with these crustacean crushers. While drowning crab baits near the pilings, anglers have had the opportunity to test their skills at boating a toothy advesary. Some trophy sheepshead have kept rods bent and smiles abundant. Lastly, the man in the brown had made a fashionable early entrance to the party. The first cobia have been boated and released as we get a taste of what is to come.
The high winds and turbid waters put a damper on this seaside and this week’s flounder catch. There were still a handful of good reports that all had one binding component…..clean water. Clear water, with regard to flounder is the single most important factor on the road to success. All the best rigs , baits, and know how can easily be trumped by a river of mud. But still the seaside and surf, between the gusts of wind, still relinquished reds, blacks, and a few rock that were seduced by peelers hurled into the wash on modified fisher rigs. The beach also is starting to produce kingfish. These tasty treats have actively pursued bloodworm baited bottom rigs with small hooks and brightly colored floats.
Whether the weather is good or bad, the fishing is fast or less than fast, don’t waste a single day. Find a buddy, some bait, and a leeward bank and enjoy this wonderful place we call home!
The middle Chesapeake has still been fairly consistent at yielding trophies adorn with stripes and spots. The shallows of the Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds has produced some quality red, black, rock and spec fishing. Most fish have been lured to the gunwale by chunks of crab. However, casting soft plastics have also bent a rod or two. On Wednesday, I had the privilege to take Captain Tom Platt of “ Seven Saturdays” out of Chincoteague VA. We were fortunate to have a Tangier-slam ( red, rock ,and spec) as well as a great day of comradery that will be remembered for many tides to come . While numbers could have been better, we had bent rods on quality fish even in twenty plus mile an hour winds. We had the most activity on popping corks with 4” paddle tails worked among grassy flats in the 2-4 foot depth range. Elsewhere, anglers that braved the choppy conditions in deeper water encountered decent black drum action. Crab, again was the critical enticement needed on the hard oyster rocks of the Pocomoke.
The southern Chesapeake continues to support good black drum action both around the structure of the CBBT as well as the shoals off Kiptopeke. Clams and crabs on fish finder rigs have produced brawling battles with these crustacean crushers. While drowning crab baits near the pilings, anglers have had the opportunity to test their skills at boating a toothy advesary. Some trophy sheepshead have kept rods bent and smiles abundant. Lastly, the man in the brown had made a fashionable early entrance to the party. The first cobia have been boated and released as we get a taste of what is to come.
The high winds and turbid waters put a damper on this seaside and this week’s flounder catch. There were still a handful of good reports that all had one binding component…..clean water. Clear water, with regard to flounder is the single most important factor on the road to success. All the best rigs , baits, and know how can easily be trumped by a river of mud. But still the seaside and surf, between the gusts of wind, still relinquished reds, blacks, and a few rock that were seduced by peelers hurled into the wash on modified fisher rigs. The beach also is starting to produce kingfish. These tasty treats have actively pursued bloodworm baited bottom rigs with small hooks and brightly colored floats.
Whether the weather is good or bad, the fishing is fast or less than fast, don’t waste a single day. Find a buddy, some bait, and a leeward bank and enjoy this wonderful place we call home!
